Valderrama's text about the Transmilenio is a well-timed reading as I have been looking into Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) recently. The Regional Transportation Commission has been soliciting feedback as to transit improvements along the Maryland Parkway corridor and BRT is one of the options. My vote went for BRT rather than light rail because I think the cost will make it so that light rail is never actually implemented.
Sidenote: To be completely honest I don't know how much the RTC listens to feedback (or what models they use to distribute funding), as when they did a survey for the UNLV Transit Center years ago they certainly didn't integrate any of the bus routes I suggested, choosing to have it only serve the Centennial Express, which originates in a high income section of the city.
Another issue Valderrama focuses on is that of accessibility (page 14). One of the users of the Transmilenio is unable to use a "feeder route" vehicle due to his wheelchair, and has to travel 15 blocks of hazardous city terrain to get to the main line. Over the past few months I have been reading and talking to people about accessibility issues people with limited mobility or vision may have and public transportation comes up a lot. While in Las Vegas there are equipped paratransit vehicles that can pick them up, many of the people I have talked to say these vehicles are often late despite setting a pickup time days in advance. I suspect a lack of resources (such as drivers or vehicles) stems from this program being underfunded.
